The name of the Allansom family is derived from the given name Alan, meaning little rock. Patronymic surnames arose out of the vernacular and religious given name traditions. St. Alan was a Welsh and Breton saint and was very popular among the people of those two cultures.

Early Origins of the Allansom family

The surname Allansom was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat at Richmond, but following the pattern of many Norman and Breton families, junior branches of this distinguished name moved northward over the border into Scotland. They appeared to have settled in Dumbartonshire in Scotland.

Early History of the Allansom family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Allansom research.Another 455 words (32 lines of text) covering the years 1320, 1447, 1463, 1469, 1656, 1640 and 1653 are included under the topic Early Allansom History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Allansom Spelling Variations

Since the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules, Breton surnames have many spelling variations. Latin and French, which were the official court languages, were also influential on the spelling of surnames. The spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules. Therefore, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England after the Norman Conquest, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. The name has been spelled Allanson, Alanson, Allansone, Alansone, Allansoune and many more.

Early Notables of the Allansom family (pre 1700)

Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Allansom Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Allansom family to the New World and Oceana

Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Allansom: John Allanson settled in Georgia in 1733.

The Allansom Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.